SM
Barcelona vs. Brann: 1 hr 31 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
AV
Premier League | Gameweek 22
Jan 12, 2020 at 4.30pm UK
 
MC

1-6

El Ghazi (90' pen.)
FT(HT: 0-4)
Mahrez (18', 24'), Aguero (28', 57', 81'), Jesus (45')

Dean Smith: 'Aston Villa will not lie down against Manchester City'

:Headline: Dean Smith: 'Aston Villa will not lie down against Manchester City': ID:385715: from db_amp
The injury-hit Premier League strugglers are without a fit senior striker with Jonathan Kodjia ill and Wesley out for the season with a knee injury.

Aston Villa boss Dean Smith insists he will never give Manchester City an easy checkmate.

Struggling Villa host the champions on Sunday just a point above the Premier League relegation zone.

They are also without a fit senior striker with Jonathan Kodjia ill and Wesley out for the season with a knee injury.

But Smith will refuse to let Pep Guardiola have a walkover at Villa Park.

"You are always having a constant game of chess with them – obviously Pep is a better chess player than I am at the moment," he said.

"So I'm looking forward to the game but I certainly won't be knocking my king over.

"It's very difficult because they are a top team. If you are spending £50-odd million for a right-back it shows the top class team they have in every position.

"But it should also be an opportunity for the players to test themselves against the best. I felt when we went there earlier in the season (losing 3-0) there was a belief in the dressing room we could do something.

"Coming in at 0-0 at half-time was a good performance but you can make a silly mistake and concede very quickly against these top teams. We have to make sure we are not making these silly mistakes."

City sit third, trailing leaders Liverpool by 14 points, and have lost almost as many games this season, five, as in the past two campaigns.

But Smith – who could hand a debut to Chelsea loanee Danny Drinkwater – insisted while Guardiola's side are hurting they are more dangerous.

He said: "It probably makes it worse that they've got to win every game. Their mentality, whatever game they go into is to win.

"Mine's the same – you've got to try to win football games. It's the style I see from Manchester City that I love watching.

"His teams are always trying to create overloads. If you try to block the middle of the pitch and they'll try and create overloads on the outside. Try to block the outside and they'll create overloads on the inside."

amp_article__385715 : Database Data restored...  : 
last updated article - 2020-01-10 22:38:18:
html db last update - 2021-03-05 13:53:49 :

ex - 7200 : read : read cache amp html

Click here for more stories about Dean Smith

Click here for more stories about Manchester City

Share this article now:
Recommended Next on SM
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal28204470244664
2Liverpool28197265263964
3Manchester CityMan City28196363283563
4Aston Villa29175760421856
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs28165759421753
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd28152113939047
7West Ham UnitedWest Ham2912894650-444
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2811985044642
9Wolverhampton WanderersWolves28125114244-241
10Newcastle UnitedNewcastle281241259481140
11Chelsea27116104745239
12Fulham29115134344-138
13Bournemouth2898114152-1135
14Crystal Palace2878133348-1529
15Brentford2975174154-1326
16Everton2887132939-1025
17Luton TownLuton2957174260-1822
18Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest2967163551-1621
19Burnley2945202963-3417
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd2835202474-5014
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.



. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .